Your pup may not beg you for an allowance each week, but his needs are just as costly as your own. Dog food, grooming appointments, toys, veterinary visits and treats tend to add up over time. The basic expenses for a dog in the U.S. average more than $1,500 per year, according to a 2011–2012 pet owner survey by the American Pet Products Association. And that’s just the absolute basics with no organized activities or training, special care or other unexpected costs.

That's real money, as the say, and worth budgeting. The Dog Budget app helps dog owners keep track of spending and stick to a budget.

For 99 cents, this simple-to-use app enables you to document every item you purchase for your dog by date and a set of pre-determined categories Dog budget “alerts” warn you when you’re teetering over a monthly spending limit. There’s also a pie chart feature that illustrates where you’re spending.

While there are a plethora of general budgeting apps available in the iTunes App Store that do virtually the same thing, they don't feature special categories for dog owners. Dog Budget is a fairly barebones app, but the peace of mind that you’re staying within budget when it comes to your pup is probably worth a dollar.

The app is developed by Andrew Winn, an independent developer based out of the United Kingdom, and is currently only available for the iPhone/iPad.

Florence Ion is the managing editor of Mac|Life magazine, and has also written for Maximum PC and PC Gamer magazines. When not writing about tech, she goes on high-tech adventures with her German Shepherd, Roxy.